A really (really, really) big cliff

I stumbled across Vincent's answer regarding forests and deserts. He claims an elevation difference of 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) could put a forest and a desert in close proximity. That got me thinking. What if they were literally as close as possible, separated by a sheer 3,000 meter cliff face?

To be clear, I'm not asking whether forest and deserts would form around such a cliff. What interests me is the cliff itself. Is it possible for a natural, completely vertical wall to be that tall? If so, how could it form?

Requirements:

• As close to vertical as possible. Looking at pictures of Nanga Parbat, the tallest so-called cliff in the world, it just looks like a steep mountain. I want a sheer vertical wall. The closer the angles at the top and bottom are to 90 degrees, the better.
• Enough room on top to have a forest. I don't want a puny mountain top, or some weird spike. Bigger is always better.

Extra Credit:

• How long could it last before it erodes?
• How would it influence the weather patterns on either side?

posted over 9 years ago

evankh‭

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